Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ President Dr. Arif Alvi has ratified the ‘Daycare Centers Bill 2023’, which mandates the establishment of daycare centers in public and private departments in the federal capital to support employees with children. According to the statement released by the President’s House, the bill, officially named the Daycare Centers Bill 2023, was signed by the president in accordance with Article 75 of the Constitution.
As per the provisions of the bill, the federal government will implement daycare centers in departments employing at least 70 individuals. Failure to comply with the law may result in a fine of up to Rs 0.1 million after an initial warning, and in cases of continued delay in setting up a daycare center, a six-month imprisonment may be enforced. The bill was originally introduced by Senator Quratulain Marri on November 12, 2018, as there were no existing facilities for children in both public and private organizations at that time.
The bill acknowledges that women constitute more than half of the country’s population, and the number of working women serving as primary or secondary breadwinners has steadily increased in urban areas. Accordingly, the Daycare Centers Act, 2018, mandates that all public and private organizations set up daycare centers, as many still lack such facilities. Currently, only a few organizations provide quality daycare centers to support working women. While some centers are unaffordable, some provide substandard services in terms of hygiene and nutrition, and a few have even been reported for abusive practices.
To ensure effective implementation of the Daycare Centers Act in public and private organizations and to support working women, the bill suggests that the federal and provincial governments in Pakistan form a regulatory body consisting of government officials and members of civil society to monitor, facilitate, and enforce the provisions of the act. Further, workplace daycare can undoubtedly improve work-life balance, as it enables parents to have their children nearby, thereby reducing the tension and extra work involved in arranging external childcare. Consequently, they are able to spend more time with their kids during breaks and lunch hours.
